The Angel Wing Alchemist
by Bakainu2112
Summary: A young girl battles with her past and becomes a State Alchemist. She faces danger, tragedy, adversity, and finds friendship and meaning.
1. Chapter 1: Fates in Motion

**The Angel Wing Alchemist**

_Chapter 1: Fates in Motion_

Alice awoke to an unusual sound. There was a metallic grinding coming from the direction of the kitchen. She rubbed her emerald green eyes and sat up in her bed. She peered around the room, trying to see past the murky light filtering in through the one, dirty window. Alice climbed out of her bed and crept past the other sleeping children in the room. She slowly made her way to the kitchen, listening to the grinding sound. She peeked around the corner only to find "Big Mama," as the orphanage children called her, scraping a worn frying pan with a twisted metal spatula.

"What are you doing?" Alice asked timidly.

Big Mama jumped at the sound of the unexpected voice.

"Goodness!" she cried. "You about scared my heart outta my chest, Alice! What are you doing out of your bed?"

"I don't know…I was having a strange dream. I woke up and heard you cooking." Alice noticed the spatula was bent and mangled. "When did that happen?" She asked, pointing.

"Oh, don't you fret, dear. It was caught on something in the cupboard there, and when I pulled it out it was all twisted."

"Here, Big Mama. Let me fix it." With a smile on her face, Alice took the spatula. She laid it on the worn counter, clapped her hands together, and placed them on the utensil. Electricity and light flowed around her hands; in a flash of light, the spatula was straightened out.

"You know the matron don't like seeing you do that…" She warned.

"Oh it's alright," Alice said, defiantly. "No one is here to see."

Big Mama brushed Alice's long, corn silk blonde hair from her cheeks with a loving expression. She patted the girl on the head and set her up with a glass of milk at the table in the center of the large room.

"So what was your dream about?" Big Mama asked, suddenly concerned. "Maybe I can decipher it for you."

"I can't really remember it well…" Alice began. "I remember it was dark, and I was cold. But there was someone there…calling to me…" She trailed off, trying to remember the details. She had a vague impression of a red coat and blonde hair. She shook her head, as if to clear the image. "It was nothing," she decided. "I won't worry about it. May I go back to bed?"

"Yes you may, dearie. It's still early yet."

Alice trekked off, back to her bed. She curled up under the threadbare sheets, and hoped for pleasant dreams. When she woke, the other children had all dressed and gone, to work, to play, or to bother Big Mama in the kitchen. She dressed in her tan skirt, dark brown stockings, and brown boots. She pulled on her brother's old white shirt over her camisole, and rolled up the shirtsleeves. After she had bound her long hair into a simple ponytail, she wrapped her arms around her torso and thought of her older brother, now six months dead. She shook her head slowly, trying to shake off her sadness.

"I think I'll go for a walk today!" She thought to herself. "Big Mama, I'm heading out!" She called at the door. "I'll be back soon!"

She walked out into the sunlight, shielding her eyes momentarily. She wandered down the road, past the pond where the children from the orphanage were playing, and into the town. She wandered aimlessly through the market, stopping to admire the clothes shops. She looked at herself, and wished she were able to dress up like the other girls her age. As she was on her way back toward the road, she spotted a little girl, Eva, along with a young boy, David; they were both from the orphanage. Eva was crying bitterly, and Alice jogged over to help.

"What happened?" Alice asked, her voice calm.

"She lost her doll." David explained. "The one her mother had given her."

"Oh no, that's awful…" Alice said, contemplating. "Ah! I've got it." She grabbed a scrap of paper and wrote a short list on it. "Go and fetch these things. Bring them right back here to me. Quickly!"

David ran off, and returned in a few minutes with the requested items. Alice quickly placed them on the ground, clapped her hands together, and transmuted them into a beautiful doll with brown hair and rosy cheeks. She handed the doll to Eva and wiped her tears.

"Be more careful, okay, Eva?" She said smiling. "Now you've got a pretty new doll, but you mustn't lose her, alright?"

"Alright." Eva said. "But I miss my dolly."

"I know, sweetie. Your mummy gave her to you, right?"

"Yeah. I miss my mum." She said, new tears spilling from her eyes.

"I know you do. But you will always remember her right? Which means she'll never leave you." Alice wiped Eva's tears and gave the girl a hug.

"Really?" She exclaimed.

"Really. Your mummy will always be in your heart."

"Thank you, Alice!" Eva chirruped. "Mummy will be in my heart." She smiled and took off running, towing David behind her. Alice watched them go, a thorn in her heart.

"I saw that." A deep voice said behind her. Alice wheeled around, preparing to defend herself. Expecting a rough character, she was surprised to see a military man standing before her. He was tall, with black hair, and dark eyes. He wore gloves with alchemy circles on them, and she could see the silver chain of a pocket watch dangling from his pant's pocket. She appraised him quickly, and backed up a step. She knew immediately who this man was.

"Colonel Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist." He offered a hand.

"I know who you are." She said frostily. "What do you want with me?"

"How old are you?" He asked.

"Seventeen."

"Hmm…You have power. How about becoming a State Alchemist?"


	2. Chapter 2: Converging Paths

Chapter 2: _Converging Paths_

Everything had happened very quickly. Colonel Mustang offered to buy Alice some tea, and she soon found herself sitting in a café with the intimidating officer. He explained that the army needed more alchemists and offered her the chance to take the State Alchemist Qualification exam. She listened intently, absorbing everything he told her.

"I've only seen one other who can transmute without an alchemy circle…the youngest ever to pass the state exam. And only one thing can enable you to do so…" He began.

"Yes. You're right." Alice explained. "I'm sure you know what that is."

"Human Transmutation. So you've…" He trailed off.

"Yes. I did. You see, my father died in the military when I was very young, and my mother killed herself soon after. That left my older brother and I alone. Shortly after I turned sixteen, he came down with pneumonia. He was sick for seven months, and then he died; he left me all alone. I had heard of bringing a human back to life through alchemy, which I had already been studying. I knew it was forbidden, but I just couldn't bear the thought of another person I loved leaving me. I gathered the materials and set to work." Alice was trembling as she took a sip of her tea. She struggled to continue, looking for the right words. "I didn't know…I never could've guessed what would happen…There was so much electricity, and pain. Then everything went black and I woke up at the gate. There were so many faces, so many eyes." She shook her head. "They took something of me, and the doors closed. I woke up on the floor of my living room, with a mangled, bloody mess on the floor. It was already dead. I fainted there, and woke up in the hospital. They told me that I was alright, but could never have children. That's when the matron of the orphanage found me, and I've been there ever since." She stared into her teacup, a few tears plopping onto the table.

Colonel Mustang remained silent, staring at Alice. For the first time in a long time, words had failed him. They remained that way for some time, sitting in silence, sipping their tea. Thoughts buzzed in Roy's head, and Alice was trying to re-close the door on her past.

"Sounds to me as if you have nothing holding you back." Roy finally said.

"…" Alice struggled for words. "But, what can I do?"

"You can become a State Alchemist. Join the army."

"What will happen to me if I do?"

"You will come to Central City, and follow orders from the army. Complete assignments, take on missions…go to war if they tell you to."

"War? I can't possibly fight in a war…"

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that. But, you'll have a better life as a State Alchemist."

"I see…May I think for a while?" Alice asked after a short pause.

"You may. I leave for Central in three days. I'll come for your decision in two. Will that be enough?"

"Alright. I'll have a decision for you then." She shook Roy's hand, and headed out of the café. She walked up the road to the orphanage, not really seeing the road in front of her. Her mind was buzzing with thoughts. Should she become a State Alchemist? What would happen to her? What would it bring? She suddenly remembered her dream from that morning. The young boy with the blonde hair, wearing a red coat. All at once she understood where her destiny would lead her. She knew then what she must do.

Three days later, she stepped onto the platform of the train station with Colonel Mustang, her meager belongings in a shabby trunk at her feet. She remembered the warm good-bye everyone from the orphanage gave her. Eva had given her a crown of daisies; David had drawn her a picture of the pond. Even the matron had come to wish her well. Big Mama gave her a bone-crushing hug, and gave Alice a small package of butter cookies to take with her. She brushed away a tear and said good-bye, and followed Roy up the road to town, where a car waited. Once she was on the train, she stowed her trunk away and sat down.

"Did you have much to pack?" Roy asked, attempting to make small-talk.

"Not really." Alice replied. "Just a few pictures and hand-me-downs."

The rest of the ride passed in silence. Alice stared out the window, with a mixture of jubilation and sadness. This was the furthest she had ever been from her home, and she was excited to be seeing new places, but sad to leave the old behind. Once they reached Central, Roy got Alice to an inn.

"It's only two days until the exam," he said. "You don't have much time to study."

"What should I be studying?" Alice asked.

"First you'll have to pass a written test, then you'll be interviewed. So start thinking about what you might like to do and what you might need. If you pass the first two parts, you'll have to display your skills. I'll come check on you tomorrow, but right now I have an assignment to finish." Mustang bid her good-bye and left. Alice wondered about what she would do for the exam, began reading some alchemy books Mustang had left for her. She finally decided on a rough idea of a robotic figure she could control, and practiced with small bits of lead and iron. Once she was able to get it moving using her alchemy, she decided to call it quits for the night. She went to bed, and again dreamed of the blonde boy in the red coat. She awoke the next morning, feeling refreshed. Mustang came to see her after breakfast, and she briefly told him of her idea for the exam.

"Sounds very interesting." He mumbled before staring at her earlier attempts quizzically. "It seems too simple though. They might have seen something like this already…" He mumbled to himself for a few more minutes.

"I guess I'll have to make my robot more interesting…I'm sure I'll come up with something."

"Don't forget to prepare for the written part, and the interview as well." Mustang reminded her.

"I won't." She promised. Mustang headed out, and she went back to work. The rest of the afternoon and evening passed quickly, with Alice hard at work. The next morning, Alice was nervous about the exam. Mustang picked her up in the morning, and they made their way to the exam site. Alice sat down, took a deep breath, and began the exam. When she had finished, she felt confident that she had passed. The next day, she waited for her name to be called for her interview. She walked into the room, and faced a panel of military officers.

"Sit." They commanded her. She looked at the chair in the center of the room. It was gold, glinting in the light of a harsh spotlight trained upon it.

"It has only three legs?" She thought to herself.

"Alchemy is the science of balance. If you posses the gift, it cannot refuse you." The head of the panel stated. Alice sat, and the chair did not budge. "Why do you wish to be an Alchemist of the State?"

"I have no other choice." Alice stated. "I have lost everyone and everything. I wish to find a purpose and a place where I'm needed."

The day after, she was called upon to perform the practical portion of the exam. When she reached the site, the Fuehrer, King Bradley of the State Alchemists was waiting to address the participants.

"We have provided some raw materials which you may use to perform your alchemy. Use anything here you wish, to create anything you like." He stepped aside and the first examinee stepped forward. He used ice to create a beautiful and complex sculpture, twisting around a nearby tree. Others followed and they created many different things using alchemy. Alice stepped up after another woman, and began to arrange the materials for her robotics. She gathered some of the metals provided, Silver, Bronze, and a little Gold. She was about to begin her transmutation when the first participant's sculpture began to crack and break nearby. A large piece of ice broke off the top and took the top of the large Spruce with it. It fell through the air, straight towards Alice. Thinking quickly, she clapped and slammed her hands down onto the metals. Light exploded from the pile, and a pair of metal wings had been affixed to Alice's back. She sprang backwards lightly, out of the path of the ice. She hovered a few feet above the ground, and touched down on top of the large piece of ice, turning to face the crowd of onlookers. Many stared up in amazement, others sank to the ground. She looked behind her, staring at the web of gold and bronze she now had on her back. The wings were delicate; a thin frame of gold and bronze with silver feather-like pieces attached by silver rods. She reached to touch them, and one of the feather pieces came off into her hand. It was sharp on the bottom edge, like a knife. She held it back up to where it had been and it pulled itself back into place. She hopped down from the ice and marveled at what she had created. Everyone from the exam was dismissed, and Alice tried to remove the wings. She began to transmute them, but felt a sharp pain between her shoulder blades.

"I guess I'll remove them later," she thought to herself, wincing. "I don't want to try to figure this out here." She instead shrank the wings so that they were a sixth of the size they had been, barely noticeable on her back. She made her way back to the inn, wondering about the results of the exam.

Back at the army headquarters, the Fuehrer had finished signing the last paper about the exam. He handed a manila folder to Roy Mustang. Mustang opened the folder to find Alice's picture and her information from the exam.

"Does this mean…?" Roy asked.

"Yes." Bradley replied. "We shall call her, 'The Angel Wing Alchemist.' "


	3. Chapter 3: The Journey Begins

Chapter 3:_ The Journey Begins_

Alice stood in front of the mirror, adjusting her skirt. She reflected on the morning. She had stood before the Fuehrer after the exam.

"Congratulations Alice, the 'Angel Wing Alchemist.' You're a State Alchemist now." He told her. "One of the most promising I've ever seen! You're on the same level as Edward Elric."

"Edward…Elric?" She asked.

"Yes. 'The Fullmetal Alchemist.' The youngest ever to complete the qualification exam. He can also transmute without circles."

"Really?" She asked excitedly. "What's he like?"

"Oh don't worry, I'm sure you'll meet him eventually. He stops in Central often." He congratulated her once again and sent her away. On the way out, Colonel Mustang stopped her.

"Here." He said, tossing a silver object into her hands. "Your watch."

"H-huh?" She stammered, slightly flustered. She looked at the silver State Alchemist pocket watch that now sat in her palms. It felt cold in her hands, and heavier than it looked. She opened the lid to see a beautiful ivory clock-face with delicate hands pointing to roman numerals. "Thank you!"

"Congratulations. You're a dog of the state now." Roy joked as he ruffled her hair. Go home. Get some rest. I'm sure you'll be getting a mission soon." She walked out and headed back to the inn. That night, when she bathed, she had noticed her wings again. They were still attached to her back, between her shoulder blades. She looked in the mirror in her room and was startled. The wings were truly implanted in her back, affixed somewhere to the bones in her ribcage. She reached back and traced a long rounded line under her skin. It didn't give to her touch, and she realized that it was part of the web of metal surrounding one of her ribs. She left the wings in their shrunken state and got dressed.

"I guess they'll always be there…" She mused. "I suppose I really am the 'Angel Wing Alchemist' now."

She was snapped out of her memory by a knock on the door. She checked her appearance once more and walked to the door. Alice opened the door to see a young woman dressed in a military uniform.

"Alice Lensic?" She asked.

"That's me." Alice replied. "How can I help you?"

"My name is Lynn Salan. I'm here with a mission for you."

"Oh, already?" Alice asked.

"Yes, and it's urgent." Lynn began. "There's been a series of disappearances in a nearby village and the army believes alchemy is involved. They want you to go there right away and find out what is going on." Lynn held out a wrapped package and Alice took it.

"What's this?" She asked, pulling back the brown paper.

"Your military uniform, and some money for supplies for the trip. Colonel Mustang had mentioned that you had very few belongings and might need to pick up some essentials." Alice hugged the package to her chest, thanking Roy for thinking of her. "Here is the information about the town and the name of someone you can contact. You must leave in three day's time." Lynn handed her the paper and said good-bye. Alice closed the door and then a huge smile spread across her face.

"My first mission!" She said with glee, darting about the room. "What to do first? Pack? Shop? Oh my gosh I have to prepare!" She put on her stockings and boots and headed into town. She bought two new skirts and a camisole, along with one pair of trousers and a simple coat. She didn't truly plan on wearing her military uniform much, except when she needed to. She hurried along the street with her purchases, heading back to the inn to begin packing. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted a familiar sight: A blonde boy in a red coat. She turned quickly, but he was gone. She reached the inn and plopped her new clothes on the bed. She picked up the military uniform and held it against her body in the mirror. It was a standard women's uniform, long skirt, waist-coat, and gloves.

"Hmm, I think the skirt is too long…" She pulled out her small bundle of sewing supplies and set to work. "Ahh! That's better." She exclaimed after bringing the skirt length to mid-thigh. "I just can't move in long skirts!" She put on the uniform, checking the length and fit. When she was satisfied, she took it off and placed it in her trunk. She finished packing and went to bathe. She washed and then soaked in the inn's tub. "I wonder if I'll be able to help those missing people…" She said quietly to herself. She relaxed in the water and let her thoughts wander until she was ready to get out. She dried herself and dressed, careful of her wings at all times. "They are really starting to get annoying, but I suppose I will have to get used to them. At least they won't rust!" She mused, laughing quietly.

The next two days flew past, and she was soon setting out for the village. After a few hours ride by car and 10 minutes walking, she arrived in Arrancarre. It was a small village; it was poor and the houses seemed to be falling apart. She looked at the paper Lynn had given her, and read the name on it.

"Jonathan Mason." She read out loud.

"Yes?" A voice from behind her asked. She turned around to find a tall man; lean and muscular, with brown eyes and dark hair, Jonathan did not appear to be a man that was very important.

"I am Alice Lensic." She extended her hand. "I've been sent by the state army to investigate the disappearances in this village. They told me to contact you."

"Yes, I was told about you." He said, taking her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I was also told you'd be needing a place to stay?"

"Yes, I do. I had planned on staying in an inn when I arrived, but-" He held up a hand to stop her.

"No, I insist. Come and stay in my house. Our inn isn't much, and the inn-keeper has been in poor health lately. Besides, I'm sure my daughter would love to have someone her own age to talk to."

"There are no other children in this town?" Alice asked, interested.

"Come back to my house; we'll talk over tea. You look like you could use a seat by the fire."


	4. Chapter 4: Mysterious Circumstances

Chapter 4: _Mysterious Circumstances_

The two set off for a house just on the edge of town. It was one of the only buildings that was still in good condition, yet it was still depressing, Alice noted. The roof was thatched and the walls were made of brick. There was the glow of a fire in the hearth coming through the windows, which should have made the house look inviting; instead it made it look only more desolate. Jonathan had just handed Alice a cup of tea when a girl walked into the room. Alice thought she looked about seventeen, but being tall for her age, she was always thought older. She had very long hair that was dark like her father's, but her eyes were an icy blue. She walked with a slight limp, as if she suffered from a sprained ankle.

"Hullo, who's this?" She asked, facing her father.

"She's a state alchemist sent to investigate the disappearances here. Her name is Alice." He replied. She walked over to Alice, and looked her up and down. Then she extended her hand.

"I'm Elisa. Pleased to meet you! I don't really know many others my age. It's nice to make a friend now and then. How old are you?"

"Hi Elisa. Pleased to meet you." She shook Elisa's hand. "I don't have many friends my own age either. I'm seventeen this past January."

"Really? I'm fifteen this month! You're two years older? You look nearly fifteen yourself!" She added laughing. Within moments the two girls were the best of friends.

"Off with you now, Elisa. Alice and I have some important business to deal with. We need to find out what is happening here."

"Yes, Father. Goodnight Alice. Goodnight Father." And with that, she left the room. Alice heard a door closing, and then Jonathan began to speak.

"Now…where to begin?"

"What happened to all the children in the town?" Alice asked, sipping her tea. "Elisa mentioned that she didn't have any friends her own age, and you mentioned it yourself outside."

"That's a big part of what's been going on. Children have been disappearing from their houses late at night. There is never any sign of struggle, no doors or windows open; it seems as if they simply vanished from their beds. Everyone in town is distraught, and without the children to teach or shop, families' businesses are falling apart. Crops are failing, and business in town has stopped dead."

"That's awful!" Alice remarked. "And no one knows where the children have gone?"

"No." Jonathan replied. "We haven't found any signs of them in the surrounding area, either. We haven't the supplies or funds to search other towns, and we wonder if we will ever see our children again." Alice patted his hand reassuringly.

"I'm sure I'll be able to help. At least I can find out who has been taking the children. If I can find out what they're up to, I'm sure finding the others will follow."

"There is one more thing I haven't yet mentioned." Jonathan said. "They disappear one by one. And the house always has a red mark on the door the next day. When it had happened twice, we took a sample of the red 'paint', and it was blood." Alice was shocked to hear this. She gave a little gasp, and Jonathan went on. "We fear the worst. The town's people are frightened. We hope this can all be resolved quickly, and without violence."

"I'll do my best." Alice declared, her voice shaking slightly.

"Now, I think we've had enough talk for one night. We can continue our discussion in the morning. Please, make yourself at home. You may use the spare room at the end of the hall."

"Thank you very much for your kindness." Alice said, gratefully. She picked up her trunk and headed toward the end of the hall. As she passed the door to the side of the hall, she thought she heard quiet sobbing. She reached for the doorknob but then drew her hand back. "She probably doesn't want anyone to know…" She thought to herself. She continued into her room and put down her trunk. Flopping onto the bed, Alice stared into space, lost in thought.

The next thing she knew, it was morning.

"OH NO! I fell asleep!" She hopped off the bed and rushed out of the room.

She walked into the kitchen to apologize for sleeping late, but found it empty.

"Jonathan?" She asked timidly.

"In here," he called. "I'm working on something. Come see."

She headed into the sitting room and Jonathan beckoned her to sit. He pulled out a pile of papers and began searching through them.

"Ah, here it is." He said, passing the paper to her. It was the first page of a manuscript for a novel. Alice skimmed it quickly, ascertaining that it was a story about a young child who goes missing in the spirit world. She noticed the fine handwriting, with it's delicate loops and the precision of the lines.

"It sounds like a wonderful story." Alice commented. "How does it end?"

"I haven't gotten that far yet," Jonathan replied. "I'm writing it for Elisa."

"That's such a sweet thing." Alice said, almost to herself. "I need to head out and begin investigating," she suddenly remembered. "where do you think I should start?"

"I'd begin by speaking to the parents of the missing children." Jonathan handed Alice a list of names and addresses, and wished her luck. After changing into her military uniform, she gathered her resolve and left the house.

Alice headed into the village, and found the first address with little trouble. She knocked on the door and waited for a moment.

"Just a minute!" A voice called out. Alice straightened her uniform and took a deep breath. A flustered looking woman with red hair opened the door. "Can I help you?"

"Good morning, my name is Alice Lensic. I'm here to ask about your son?" Tears filled the woman's eyes as she understood the situation.

"Yes, please, come in." She ushered Alice into another dreary house, with a few toys scattered about the floor and simple wooden furniture adorning the rooms. She sat Alice at a table in the kitchen and asked if she'd like anything.

"No thank you," replied Alice. "I'd like to get work, if that's alright with you."

"Yes, of course. It all began about two weeks ago. My son, Jack, was the first. All day he had been acting strangely, like he didn't understand anything I said to him. That night, I woke with a terrible, choking feeling in my chest. I went to check on Jack, only to find that he wasn't in his bed. His windows were shut, and there was nothing amiss. Just his bed clothes pushed back and his stuffed dog dropped to the floor." As she recalled the events, fresh tears began to spill from her eyes. Alice patted her hand in a comforting gesture. "Thank you," the woman said. "It's just so horrible, not knowing where your child is."

"Don't worry, I promise I'll do my best to find the children." Alice stated. "I will bring them home."


	5. Chapter 5: Revelations

**Chapter 5:**_** Revelations**_

**Alice continued on to the houses listed on the page given to her by Jonathan. The stories were all about the same: the strange behavior before the disappearance, the lack of evidence of force, and the dropped comfort objects. Alice noticed that each child left behind their toy or blanket when they disappeared. **

"**Odd," Alice thought to herself, "that each child dropped their toys and didn't bring them. That means that they must have trusted the something or some**_**one**_** they left with…" Her thoughts trailed off, trying to solve this new dilemma. Just as she was wandering the road back to Jonathan and Elisa's house, a voice called out behind her, making her jump.**

"**Wait!" The voice called to her. "Hold on! I have something that might help you!" She turned to see a boy; he was tall with dark hair and dark eyes. He jogged up to her. Alice stared at the young man quizzically. **

"**Why hasn't he disappeared?" She questioned herself. "Another mystery presents itself…" The boy caught up to her and stood catching his breath for a moment. "Who are you?" Alice inquired.**

"**I'm Evan Santori. I'm Jack's older brother. Here." He handed her a worn sheet of paper. "My brother was writing on this the day he went missing. I've not been able to figure it out, but it might prove useful to you." **

"**How old are you?" Alice asked, taking the paper and glancing at it.**

"**I'm eighteen this coming December. Why?" He replied.**

"**It's just that you look younger than you are, and I had been wondering why you're still in the village."**

"**Hmm…I don't know." Evan remarked. "It's only the younger children, I guess. All the parents here, with the exception of mine, are fairly young. There aren't that many kids my age around here. Oh! But there is Elisa."**

"**Yes, I've met her. I'm staying with her and her father, actually." At this, the boy's face blanched. "What's wrong? You're so pale all of a sudden!" **

"…**We're not supposed to talk about it…" He replied. "I've got to go!" With that, Evan darted back down the road from which he came. **

"**I wonder what **_**that**_** was all about." Alice said as she turned to head back. As she wandered back towards the house, her head was buzzing with the case. When she returned, she found the house empty. Exhausted, she flopped down upon her bed and tried to pull the mystery apart. She fell asleep quickly, and began to dream. Alice opened her eyes and looked around. She was on a brick walkway outside; she could only see darkness, and there were oppressive clouds obscuring the moonlight. She noticed movement out of the corner of her eye and turned. What she saw made her blood run cold. Strewn across the ground were countless, small, pale, bodies. Alice ran over and reached out her hand, hoping her touch would somehow revive the lifeless creature she saw before her. The skin was ice-cold; she picked the child up, but when she saw him, she turned away and became sick. The child had no face. **

**Alice woke up screaming. Jonathan ran into the room, a look of terror on his face.**

"**What is it? What's wrong?" He asked urgently. Alice was sitting bolt upright, gasping for air. **

"**I-I… it was horrible…" She responded brokenly, attempting to force the image of the faceless body from her mind. Tears were pouring down her face as she tried to move from the bed. Alice swung her legs over the side of the bed, and gently placed her feet on the floor. Standing up, her knees buckled and her legs went out from under her. Jonathan tried to catch her but she fell too quickly, landing hard on the wooden floor. **

**Alice opened her eyes to darkness once again. She turned around, searching for something indicating her location. Seeing nothing, she began to run. Alice ran with reckless abandon, desperately searching for some sign. Pushing her body still further, she pounded her feet upon the invisible ground. Suddenly a flash of red shot across her vision to the left. She heard calling from the direction she was heading, and turned back toward it. Indistinct voices called to her, asking for help. **

"**DO NOT GO THAT WAY!" roared a voice to her left. She turned to see the familiar red coat begin drifting away into the darkness. **

"**But they need help…" she protested in a daze, her feet slowly and clumsily taking her forward again.**

"**Yesssss…help usssss…" the voices whispered, persuading her. "We need you… Only you…" Alice stumbled forward, towards the whispery voices. **

"**Go that way and you will be **_**lost…**_**" the other voice called back, sounding distant. Alice continued drifting, single-mindedly, forward. She felt a cold hand snap around her neck, and a scream lodged in her throat. A searing pain roared through her stomach, like being burned by ice. It slowly concentrated itself over her heart, and became unbearable. As the pain grew still greater, she began to lose all sense of herself. Everything that mattered, why she was there, what she was looking for, it all became hazy and unclear. The warmth began slipping from her fingertips. "Now, for the final step," the voices whispered, high and shivery. "it is time to claim her." **


	6. Chapter 6: A Life Saved

_Chapter 6: A Life Saved_

"ALICE! _ALICE!" _Jonathan screamed at the young girl, lying unconscious on the floor. He called in vain, for Alice's soul was far from her body.

"Father?! What's happening?" Elisa asked as she burst into the room. She noticed Alice on the floor and tears sprang into her eyes. "I'll take her, father. She needs to get to a doctor, and you won't make it fast enough." At this, she picked Alice up from the floor and carried her out the door. Jonathan sat on the floor, staring after his daughter.

Elisa sprinted through the village, Alice's limp body in her arms. She made it to the edge of the village, to a dark, dilapidated warehouse. She stumbled through the door, bumping Alice against the frame as she shouldered the door open.

"I've made it…" she panted.

"Good….bring her here…" a deep voice called quietly.

"But what are you going to do with her?" Elisa asked, trembling. "She won't wake up…you never said _this_…"

"SILENCE!" The voice ordered. Elisa flinched from the strong anger in the voice. "Bring her here NOW." Elisa continued to tremble and carried the limp body to the middle of the large room. The walls were made of crumbling stone, and a few candles were placed around the floor. They weakly illuminated a stone platform in the center of the room. Elisa placed Alice upon the platform; she ran her fingers along the sunken trails carved into the stone. She noticed that some of the grooves were wet; she examined her fingers and began to cry anew. She placed her hand upon Alice's, and felt the warmth return faintly. Alice's breathing evened out and her heartbeat steadied. Suddenly, the shadows began to shift as if they were alive. She whirled around, believing that she was imagining the creatures she now saw projected on the walls by the candles. One of the shadow creatures peeled itself away from the wall at the head of the stone platform. It slid across the floor, with a scratching, slithering sound, causing Elisa to shudder violently. When it reached Alice, it began whispering in her ears and caressing her cheeks with a malicious expression on its sunken, shapeless face. Elisa simply stared in horror as the creature closed its hands around her throat and lifted her up off the blood-stained stone.

"Why…why…WHY?" Elisa screamed. "You promised…you said…you said no one would be hurt!" she sobbed. Out of the corner moved a gnarled, mangled, bleeding creature. Its features were twisted, deformed, and sunken; it dragged its body across the floor, leaving streaks of blood on the cement.

"Elisa, Elisa…" it cooed. "My pet, my sweet, I needed them…I need her, I can't be complete without her…I will keep my promise to you. I will take away your pain…I'll take away your nightmares. But I _need_ her…" It raised one gnarled hand and stroked Elisa's cheek, leaving a long streak of blood across her face. "You must finish it for me…" It handed her a long, sharp dagger. It felt cold in her fingers and shook in her hand; she shifted it and watched it glint in the candlelight. The creature took Elisa's arm and gently guided her over to the stone platform. "Finish it. For me." He commanded gently.

"Now, for the final step," the shadow whispered. "it is time to claim her." Elisa raised the knife, and looked at her friend, still in the air with the shadow-being's hand around her throat. Elisa closed her eyes and plunged the knife into Alice's back, into her heart.

Alice was frantically searching the darkness closing over her eyes. She couldn't feel her body anymore and clung desperately to what was left of her sight. She was giving up when she felt a pain in her heart, so cold that it burned. She cried out at the new pain, and tried to move her numb limbs. She begged weakly for it to stop. She felt her heart burning with the cold from the knife, spreading through her.

Elisa watched in horror as Alice's blood poured from her back, down her body, and into the grooves in the stone. The creature moaned and buckled; Elisa dropped the bloody knife to the ground where it clattered and sent drops of Alice's blood flying onto the creature and herself. The blood caused the creature's skin to bubble and blister, and the creature screamed in pain. It began writhing on the floor, screaming and moaning. Elisa backed away from it and tripped over a chunk of stone.

"Stop…" she whispered. "Stop…stop…STOP. STOP! _STOP!!_" Elisa screamed. As she cried out, the shadow-creature turned to look at her. Elisa's body gave off a faint red glow. The shadow fixed its eyes on her and dropped Alice's body roughly onto the stone; Alice's metal wings ground against the stone, becoming bent and misshapen. The shadow then began gliding over to Elisa. "Alice…Alice…I'm sorry…I'm so sorry," whimpered Elisa as the creature crept closer. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" The shadow grabbed Elisa by her hair and raised her off the floor. It reached into her body and it pulled out a glowing red stone.

"At last…I have it! The Philosopher's Stone…" The shadow said triumphantly in its shivery voice.

Elisa was confused as a new noise was added to the clamor in the room: Alice's voice…screaming. "Alice! ALICE!" Elisa cried. Elisa started to fight against the shadow, adding her own voice to the chaos. The moaning and screaming of the deformed creature on the floor had intensified at the appearance of the stone, Alice screamed in pain from her pyre, and the shadow laughed triumphantly.

As Alice burned from the knife wound, she began to hear a familiar voice screaming.

"It's Elisa's voice…" Alice thought past the pain. The hand removed itself from her throat, and Alice crashed onto something hard and cold. The darkness receded from her eyes and the warmth returned to her fingers. The numbness went away and the pain intensified ten times over. Then, Alice began screaming. The pain in her heart burned unbearably and the stone felt cold beneath her back. Her wings peirced her skin as they were pressed between her back and the stone. She screamed as she heard the creature on the floor writhe and as the shadow took the stone from Elisa.

"The power is mine! Now you will all die!" The shadow continued to laugh as it dropped Elisa on the floor and clutched the Philosopher's Stone. It raised the stone which emitted a red flash, accompanied by a piercing scream from the floor near the platform. The mangled creature was splattered upon the floor, its blood streaked across the room. "And now, for you, Angel-Wing." As the shadow once again raised the stone, Alice gave one final scream.

The stone shattered.


	7. Chapter 7: Goodbyes

"NOOO!" The shadow yelled. "THIS CANNOT BE!" It looked down at Alice, breathing heavily with pain on the stone. She was beginning to bleed out, and her body wouldn't last much longer. It once again picked her up by the throat and roared in frustration. Alice writhed futilely in an attempt to move from its grip. Elisa stood up numbly, weak from the fall and wobbling on a broken ankle. She dragged herself across the room without attracting the shadow's notice; it was far too absorbed in its attempt to kill Alice. She once again picked up the dagger and slashed wildly at the creature. None of the blows landed upon the shadow, but Elisa kept trying. The shadow noticed her efforts and lowered Alice back towards the platform, now unconscious. With another swing of the blade, Elisa landed a slash across Alice's face, from her left eyebrow and down across her eye and cheek. "Begone!" The shadow commanded, slamming Elisa backwards into the wall. Elisa's head smacked into the wall, and she slumped onto the floor. The shadow laughed maniacally as he turned back to deal with Alice.

"How…_dare_…you hurt…my friend?" Alice panted as she clapped her hands together. She slammed her hands onto the stone, throwing javelins of her own blood at the shadow. Her left eye was bleeding profusely and her vision was blurring, but she managed to pierce the shadow.

"How can that BE?" it roared. "You cannot harm me!"

"It's my blood that was in that stone…You used the stone, my blood rejects you…" Alice panted desperately. She dragged herself onto the floor and over to the candles. With the last of her strength, she transmuted her blood into the candles, creating a strong fire. The fire surged across the blood paths in the room, consuming the dead creature on the floor as well as every drop of blood on the stone. The fire raged, and the light started to pierce the shadow. It roared in pain and tried to escape; with the light all around there was no longer anything to cast a shadow. The fire licked at the shadow's form, causing it to erupt in howls of pain and anger. Alice dragged her bleeding, dying body to Elisa and tried to pull her out of the burning warehouse. There was a slamming at the door to the warehouse, and Alice heard voices. The door burst open and Alice saw blurry figures burst in just before she succumbed to the blackness.

Alice awoke five days later in a very bright room. There was the smell of flowers nearby, and wonderfully cool breeze blowing in from a window across the room. Every part of her body ached and screamed in pain. She gasped and tried to open her eyes. Her left eye was taped shut and covered with a layer of gauze, but her right opened and her vision focused slowly. Next to her bed sat Colonel Mustang and Jonathan, who was asleep in a chair against the wall.

"Ah, you're finally awake?" Mustang said, with a chuckle.

" 'Finally?' What do you mean?" she asked quietly.

"You've been asleep for five days." Mustang replied.

"Five days? How can that-" Alice tried to sit up, and her words were cut off by a gasp of pain.

"No, stay still. You should not be moving yet." Mustang gently pushed her shoulder back down onto the pillows. "You have a severe wound in your back, third-degree burns everywhere, a dislocated knee and fractured wrist."

"…I can _feel_ that," she responded, letting her attitude take over. "but what do you mean _five days_?"

"Exactly what I said. You've been asleep for five days. Your body needed to heal, and sleep forces you to stay put and let your body do its work. _Like you should be doing now._" He added with a stern glance.

"But I need to know what happened!" Alice protested. "The children! Elisa! Those creatures…" She shuddered at the memory. "What was going on? There was a stone…it called it 'The Philosopher's Stone.' It destroyed-" She broke off suddenly, letting herself dissolve into a torrent of tears. She let her body flop back onto the bed, once again causing herself to cry out in pain. "My-my-wings," she stuttered between gasps. "they're-ah-pressing-" She sat up again and asked Colonel Mustang to tell her what happened to them.

"You were dropped a few times…" he trailed off.

Alice tried to turn, eliciting another few spasms of pain. Ignoring the torrents of pain wracking her body, she reached back and gently pressed her fingertips to her wings. They were twisted and mangled, barely recognizable to her own fingers.

"Oh God, no…" Alice whispered. "How… how is this _possible_?" She touched her palms together, gently, slowly. Carefully, she reached back again and tried to straighten her wings out. Her efforts were unsuccessful, though she managed to adjust them enough to cause her less pain. Sitting back against the pillows once again, Alice took a deep breath to steady herself. "Colonel, please tell me what happened. It is of the utmost importance that I be informed."

"Even we don't quite know what happened in there. Jonathan's daughter is dead. You are the only survivor from this entire incident. Only you can tell me what happened." He folded his hands carefully in his lap. Jonathan was still asleep, a new grief tucked into the deep set lines on his face. Alice noted that even in sleep, he looked deeply troubled.


	8. Chapter 8: The New Way

Over the next few weeks, Alice had many visitors. The children from the orphanage were allowed to see her in light of her severe battering, officers came to congratulate her on her heroism, and even Colonel Mustang dropped in a few times, always asking for more detail on the incident she had just escaped. Jonathan left after the day she woke up, and she felt deeply sad to see him go; she worried how he'd handle everything he'd lost. When the doctors were finally able to remove the bandages over her left eye, Alice was crushed to discover that her vision had been almost completely destroyed by the knife wound. All she could see now were dim shadows: a constant reminder of the creature who almost destroyed her. They held a mirror up to her for inspection, and a long almost-healed scar marred her face from her eyebrow to the middle of her cheek. She traced it absently with her forefinger, chuckling darkly at petty school memories.

"I suppose they'd be happy now," she whispered quietly. "Now that no one could possibly find me pretty anymore." She waved the doctors away; as soon as they were gone, she let herself cry over the loss of her eye and of the small piece of herself that cared whether or not someone would one day find her worth looking at.

By the time Alice was released, fall was in full force. Mustang had told her she was required to wear her military uniform while in Central, and she was grateful for the heavy material and long sleeves. The wind was chilly, even in the sunlight that was pouring over the streets of the city. She meandered through Central, stopping to shop a bit with the money she earned from ending the disturbing events in Arrancarre. Her brother's shirt was soaked with blood, and she'd not been able to get most of it out. It now sat folded neatly near her pillow, a memorial to him of sorts. She'd need to get some thread as well, as she was almost out. She stopped by the sewing shop to pick a few colors to match the shirts she'd had to pick up.

"Cutting slits in all of my clothes is going to get tiring," she mumbled to herself, annoyed. "But, it has to be done." She sighed and brought her purchases to the clerk at the back of the store. The bell above the door dinged, and a cold breeze blew through the shop, rustling the fabrics on display. Alice didn't turn, but collected her supplies and headed for the door. There were two men on one side of the store, pretending to examine a bolt of cream silk, but their eyes were trained on Alice as she brushed past them towards the door. She was halfway up the block when the left the store and began to trail her. She didn't notice as she checked a few other shops along the road, stopping now and again to pick up some small thing she needed. As the sun began to set, she started to make her way back toward the inn laden with bags. The footsteps behind her grew closer, and she dared a glance behind her, startled by the sudden pursuers. The two men from the sewing shop were trailing her at a short distance, their eyes boring into her as she walked. She glanced sideways as she walked, desperately trying to find some route of escape. From an alley up ahead of her, three more men waltzed out as if they'd been waiting for her. The tallest, a lean man with dirty blonde hair, nodded at an unseen sign and sauntered towards Alice.

"What's your hurry, cutie?" He sneered at her. Alice dared not glance up at him, lest he take her fear for interest. She could only see him clearly with her right eye, the left showed her only drifting shadows. "C'mon, why not play with us?"

"Get away from me," she tried, weakly. Her arms were full, but she readied herself to drop everything in order to bring her hands together. The bags rustled with the shaking of her body and she feared she'd be too panicked to transmute. "Get away from me, you filthy bastard." She said, stronger this time.

"Don't be like that, girly," he cooed. "We just wanna play… It's been a while, and so long since we had such a nice kitten such as yourself…" He trailed his finger across the lapel of her uniform, dropping down to fondle the silver watch chain in her breast pocket. She dropped everything from her arms and slammed her hands together, and slapped them down onto the pavement. A shower of spiked cobblestone pieces shot up from the street toward the blonde man, missing him by inches. Before she could get another strike on him, the men from the store had grabbed her around the waist and throat, hauling her into the alley. Alice tried to scream, but her air was being cut off by the muscular arm pushing into her windpipe. She struggled and kicked, but vicious blows landed on her arms and legs, bruising her and re-breaking her barely healed wrist. She was thrown to the ground and two of the five men held her arms, one of them pushing her head into the cobblestones. In a daze, Alice lay still for a moment trying to think past the throbbing in her temples. "I'll take the liberty of going first, gents." The blonde man kneeled to the ground and leaned over Alice. "First I'll wreck that pretty little face of yours," he laughed, drawing a knife across Alice's unscarred cheek, "and then I'll take this pretty little body of yours." He licked her ear and she shivered in disgust, struggling to escape the man's weight on her legs and back. He hiked her skirt over her hips and sneered. "It's your fault after all, wearing this uniform and taunting us." Alice started screaming as the man took her, but he only laughed. "That's it, kitten, keep screaming. It only makes it better." When he'd finished, he stood up and kicked Alice. "Next?"


	9. Chapter 9: Unknown Savior

After two more men had had their turn, Alice was almost unconscious with pain, fear, and revulsion. As the third man stood up from her body, she vomited onto the pavement. "Disgusting girl," a short, stocky man with dark hair spat. He kicked her in the ribs, sending another round of vomit onto the stones. "Who wants her next?" He asked, spitting on her face. One of the men holding her arms stood up, releasing her for a moment, but she had almost no strength to fight anymore. The next man kneeled down and she began screaming again, vainly hoping someone would hear this time. A warm voice spoke from the entrance of the alley.

"What the hell is wrong with you bastards?" A flash of lightening lit the alleyway and the man on top of Alice gasped and flew into the wall. Alice's mind was flickering between consciousness and the horror she felt, and the delightful blackness of unconsciousness. The voice spoke again. "Move." Alice listened, half-interested, simply waiting for the blackness to come and blot out the horrors. The rest of the men seemed immobilized by the sudden attack on their companion and simply stared blankly at the mouth of the alley. Alice tried to lift her head, turn, shift, do anything to see her mysterious rescuer, but her body had completely given out on her. "Please…." she whispered, almost inaudibly. "Help me…." The stranger stepped further into the alley; a red coat fluttered in a sudden wisp of autumn wind.

"She's half-dead, you filthy bastards!" A loud clap and a crackling sensation cut the air, and the men were thrown backwards and bashed into the stone walls. Blood splattered against the stones, and much of it sprayed across Alice's face and uniform. The young man bent down to Alice and brushed the hair from her face. "Who are you?" He asked her.

"Al…ice…" she breathed, slowly losing to the blackness again. "St-st-ate Al….ch-chemist…" He scooped her up off the pavement as if she were a child, and carried her into the light. The lamplight in the street shone off of his blonde hair and gold eyes, causing him to seem as if he glowed. The boy from the dream…she barely made the connection as she was slipping further away. "Ed…ward Elric…?" She managed to whisper before she completely lost consciousness.

"Damn them." Edward snarled before hurrying toward Central Hospital. From there he'd call Colonel Mustang and tell him to arrest the filthy men lying beaten in the alley. Edward briefly looked over the limp body in his arms. Bruises, cuts, and an enormous amount of blood covered her body, and she was still bleeding from where the men had taken their liberties. "Damn them!" He rushed toward the hospital, afraid he'd lose what he just fought to save. When he arrived, the nurses on duty took one look at Alice, still bleeding in Edward's arms, and rushed her off to the doctors and the operating table.


	10. Chapter 10: A Close Call

Alice woke up screaming. She thrashed in the hospital bed, tangled up in the sheets. Doctors and nurses bustled in, trying to calm her. She continued to thrash and scream, until someone jabbed a needle into her arm, sedating her. She was lost again to the nightmares she'd experienced; flashes of men's faces looming over her, tearing sensations within her body, the eyes at the gate, the mangled lump of flesh splattered on the floor, her father's face with hands reaching out toward her, a deep shadow coming closer, a knife across her cheek, men, over and over, men taking her and her innocence. Once again, she woke screaming, though how long it had been she did not know. Eyes wide with fear, Alice thrashed and screamed, trying to escape the restraints holding her down. Suddenly, a gloved hand slapped her hard across the face.

"Wake up, Alice," he urged, soothingly. "You need to wake up!" He gripped her shoulder, just hard enough for the pressure to anchor her in the present. The faces, the dreams, they were still floating behind her eyelids terrorizing her even when awake.

"No! No! No more," she cried, dissolving into a torrent of tears and attempting to thrash her way free again.

"Stop it," Edward commanded. "If you keep that up, you'll only end up hurting yourself more."

"I can't!" Alice sobbed. "Make them go away! Make them stop! No one's coming… I'm going to die… Can't fight… Please stop!" The events in the alley flashed past her eyes over and over; she couldn't escape the terror that held her in her memories. Edward leaned over the bed and looked at Alice, speaking softly.

"Alice, calm down. You need to come back and calm down, or else you'll never heal, body or mind." Alice stared up at him, not seeing the young man before her. Tears still poured down her cheeks but she slowly stopped thrashing and eventually the only movement was the sobs wracking her body. Edward continued to stare down at Alice until her eyes began to focus on him.

"Edward Elric?" She eventually whispered. "What are you doing here?"

"I found you in the alley."

"How do you know who I am?"

"You told me your name before you passed out."

"What happened to me…? I remember them…" She trailed off, the memories once again washing over her eyes and reducing her to shaking and incoherent whimpers. Edward tilted her face up with a gloved hand, staring hard into her eyes again.

"Come back, Alice, you have to be present for me to help you." Alice came back to herself again at his voice and the pressure of his hand on her chin. She tried to sit up, and Edward released the restraints on her waist and wrists. She shifted herself upright and wrapped her arms around her shoulders. Her wings had been completely sawed off near her skin, and the metal bases protruded from her back, rough and extremely sharp. There were bandages crisscrossing her back and chest, faintly stained with blood.

"My wings?" She asked, looking up despairingly. "Removed for the surgery… They'd broken and bent in a number of places, severely piercing you during the attack. They've saved them, and with a little careful transmuting they'll be good as new," he reassured her. A doctor walked in then to check on her; he was surprised to find her awake and unrestrained. He looked and Edward pointedly, but he just acted as if he didn't care. The doctor checked Alice's eyes and asked a few questions. She responded robotically, not really able to function emotionally just yet. When he left, she looked over again at Edward.

"Thank you for helping me…but why are you still here?" She asked him, trying to distract herself enough to keep the memories at bay.

"You're a State Alchemist?" He queried, avoiding her question.

"Yes. Angel-Wing, they call me. You're one too, right? Youngest ever?" She recounted the conversation with Fuehrer Bradley so many weeks before.

"That's right," he said, slightly exasperated. "The Full-Metal Alchemist." He sighed, almost inaudibly.

"Full-Metal?" She asked, looking him up and down. "You don't look like metal to me." He pulled off his right glove and slid his sleeve up enough for her to see his wrist.

"Is that…automail?" She gasped, incredulous. "Where in the world did you get automail? And so elaborate…" she admired his arm for a moment before looking back up at him. His eyes held an unfathomable expression, and she looked away quickly.

"Did you know those men?" He turned the conversation back to her. Her expression turned dark, and she dug her fingernails into the tops of her arms; the action caused her re-broken wrist to throb. The effort helped to keep herself focused on the pain, in the present.

"No," she spat. "I don't know those bastards."

"Think hard, remember. Had you seen them anywhere before?" Alice sifted through the memories, trying not to sink beneath them and lose it again. One of them did seem familiar…dark haired, stocky, with a scar across his nose.

"Yes…" she squinted into her lap, trying to place his face. "The dark-haired one… He was shorter than the others… Not the leader, but he wanted the power, I could feel it… He had a scar across his nose."

"Where do you know him from?" Alice wracked her brain for any semblance of a memory.

"I don't know… he… I…" her entire body trembled with the effort of remembering. She let out a breath, and let it go. "I don't know. I can't remember." Edward sighed, but let it pass.

"Maybe you'll remember later," he allowed. "Keep trying."

"Alright," Alice agreed. "But why? He's a filthy, disgusting miscreant who deserves to die," she decided with a snarl. "Just like the rest of them."

"It's important." Edward stated with a sense of closing the subject. "I have to go. The doctors will take it from here." He scooped up his coat from the nearby chair, leaving Alice to her misery.


End file.
